Impact of scallop dredging on benthic epifauna in a mixed-substrate habitat

Experimental scallop dredging was conducted to assess the vulnerability of emergent epifauna on hard substrates. Three sites were sampled before and after dredging to examine changes in the coverage of faunal turf (hydroid and bryozoan) assemblages and the composition of the wider epifaunal community. Each site had an “impact” box that was dredged, a control box that was in an area that was still open to fishing, and a control box in a special area of conservation (SAC) that had not been fished for two years. Community composition differed significantly after dredging in two of the three sites, with dredged communities becoming less similar to those in the SAC. There was no clear evidence that dredging in the impact boxes reduced the coverage of faunal turfs on hard substrates. However, the coverage of faunal turfs on hard substrates in the SAC was typically greater than in areas that were still being fished commercially, consistent with a dredging effect. The results highlight the role that substrate morphology might play in modifying the severity of dredging effects. This has relevance to marine spatial management, as it suggests that emergent epifauna living on hard substrates that are morphologically suited to dredging, such as pebble and cobble substrates, could be particularly vulnerable to dredging.